First published 2012
Paul Jennings begins life enslaved on James and Dolley Madison's Virginia plantation before moving with the family to serve in the White House. He witnesses the complex dynamics of power and servitude at the heart of American government. After James Madison's death, Dolley Madison sells Paul despite their long history together. Senator Daniel Webster eventually purchases and frees him. As a free man, Paul demonstrates remarkable generosity by giving money to his former owner Dolley when she falls into poverty. He becomes the first person to write a White House memoir, documenting his unique perspective on presidential life. His sons later join the Union Army during the Civil War. The story reveals the contradictions of a nation built on freedom yet dependent on slavery, showing how one man navigated from bondage to liberty while maintaining his dignity and humanity throughout.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 19th-century, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Setting: Virginia, White House
Period: Civil War, 19th Century
336 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press
Content warnings: slavery